AAA
Education:
03/2021 Dr. rer. nat (PhD); Justus Liebig University of Gießen; Gießen
– “How the integration of phylogenetics and Venomics resolves persistent challenges in evolutionary systematics and toxinology – lessons from the spider kingdom“
– Supervision: Prof. Dr. A. Vilcinskas.
– Thesis-Grade: Summa cum laude (excellent)
– Awarded dissertation prize for best doctoral thesis in 2021.
08/2018 Master of Science (M.Sc.); Technical University of Braunschweig; Braunschweig
– “Biochemical analyses of salamander chemical defense: Characterization of novel toxins and survey of the Salamandra skin poison proteome“
– Supervision: Prof. Dr. S. Steinfartz.
– Thesis-Grade: 1,0 (excellent)
– Specialization subjects: Biochemistry, Bioinformatics and Genetics
04/2016 Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.); Technical University of Braunschweig; Braunschweig
– “Analysen von Salamander-Alkaloiden durch Gaschromatographie: Methodenentwicklung, Biosynthese, Metabolismus und Variabilität“
– Supervision: Prof. Dr. M. Vences.
– Thesis-Grade: 1,0 (excellent)
– Specialization subjects: Vertebrate Morphology, Biochemical Ecology
02/2012 Chemical Laboratory Technician; Heubach GmbH; Langelsheim
– Specialisation: Instrumental analytics, organic synthesis and process engineering
– IHK certified
07/2008 Abitur; Robert Bosch Gesamtschule; Hildesheim
– Participant in Jugend Forscht
– Specialisation: Biology, Chemistry and History
Positions:
04/2021 – current Group Leader; Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, Gießen
– Head of Animal Venomics Lab in FhG IME-BR section “Biodiversity Research”.
– Lecturer for Insect Biotechnology and applied Entomology (JLU Gießen, Department for Agricultural Sciences)
– Works council member
09/2018 – current Research Associate; LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics, Frankfurt
– Evolution and ecology of venom systems
– Since 2021 member of the steering committee and secondary spokesperson for the Fraunhofer society
09/2018 – 03/2021 PhD Student; Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology; Gießen
– Topic: Biodiscovery from spiders and other neglected venomous arthropods
– Methods: Proteomics, Transcriptomics, Microscopy and heterologous Expression
04/2015 – 08/2018 Student Assistant; Technical University of Braunschweig; Braunschweig
– Zoological institute, department for evolutionary biology (AG Vences)
– Topic: Chemical ecology of amphibian toxins and phylogenetic of mygalomorph spiders
– Methods: Gas chromatography (plus FID&MS analytics), PCR, Sanger sequencing, lab maintenance
– Teaching assistant for introductory course zoology and zoological excursions
08/2008 – 09/2012 Chemical Laboratory Technician; Heubach GmbH; Langelsheim
– Apprenticeship until 02/2012, team leader in colorant system development until 09/2012
– Methods: Chemical synthesis, ICP analytics, GC-MS analytics, volumetrics, gravimetrics, colorimetrics and formulation
Competitive funding and grants:
2022 – German Research Foundation (DFG) Individual Proposal “Funktionsvenomik der Kreuzotter (Vipera berus) in Deutschland: Untersuchungen zur Zusammensetzung, Funktion und ökologischen Plastizität von Tiergiften in einer einheimischen Modellart (505696476)” (219.400€).
2020 – Fraunhofer Publication Fonds (1600€).
2019 – German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Travel Grant (2600€).
2019 – German Embassy of Ecuador Travel Grant (1500€).
2017 – German Arachnological Society (DeArGe) Young Researcher Grant “Untersuchungen zur Vogelspinnenevolution mittels Phylogenomik” (1800€).
Scientific Awards:
2021 – Dissertation prize for the best doctoral Thesis of the Justus-Liebig-University Gießen.
Board memberships:
2022 – current Works council member of Fraunhofer IME-BR.
2021 – current Steering committee member of the LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics.
2020 – 2021 Substitute management committee member for Germany in the EU COST action “European Venom Network – EUVEN”.
2019 – current Second chairman of the German Arachnological Society.
Service as an editor:
2021 – current Associate editor at Physiological Entomology.
2021 – current Review editor at Frontiers in Pharmacology.
Service as a reviewer:
Communications Biology, Chemoecology, Diversity, Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences, Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; International Journal of Environmental Science and Public Health, Molecular Biology and Evolution, Salamandra, Scientific Reports, Toxins, Toxicon, Toxicon:X, Toxin Reviews, Zoological Research.
Participation on symposia and congresses:
GfG summer meeting 2016 – Adaption in nature – from ecology to genomes (Braunschweig, 2016); Spring meeting 2018 of the ZAG Wirbellose (Halle, 2018); Arachnoweekend 2018 of the DeArGe (Hessisch Lichtenau, 2018); Deutscher Herpetologentag 2018 of the DGHT (Magdeburg, 2018); INSECTA 2018 (Gießen, 2018); Recombinant Protein Production 10 of the European Federation of Biotechnology (Hersonissos, Greece 2019); 2nd Congresso Latinoamericano de Biogeografia and Humboldt 250 Conference (Quito, Ecuador 2019); 20st World Congress of the International Society on Toxinology (Buenos Aires, Argentina 2019), Bioengineering of Toxins 2019 of the SFET (Paris, France 2019); Peptide Therapeutics Forum 2020 of the Swiss Chemical Society (Covid19 caused online conference, 2020); Arachnoweekend 2021 of the DeArGe (Covid19 caused online conference, 2021); Ento21 conference of the Royal Entomological Society (Covid19 caused online conference, 2021); International Toxin Talks 2021 (Covid19 caused online conference, 2021), INSECTA 2022 (Gießen, 2022), Deutscher Herpetologentag 2022 of the DGHT (Berlin, 2022), 21st World Congress of the International Society on Toxinology (Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 2022).
Conference chairing:
18/10/2022 – ECR Session 1 “Basic Toxinology” at 21st World Congress of the International Society on Toxinology (Abu Dhabi)
29/09/2022 – Kreuzotter Symposium at Deutscher Herpetologentag 2022 (Berlin)
Memberships in scientific associations:
German Society for Arachnology (DeArGe), International Society on Toxinology (IST); European Federation of Biotechnology, German Society for Herpetology and Herpetoculture (DGHT).